How to build a query

The Content Search Web Part displays content based on search. Every time a user opens a page that has a Content Search Web Part on it, a query is sent to the search index, and search results are displayed automatically in the Web Part. You can use one of the default queries that are available in Quick Mode, or you can choose to build your own query by using Advanced Mode.

What do you want to do?

Build a quick query

In Quick Mode, the Basics tab contains the most basic options for building a query. You can refine your query further by using the Refiners tab and the Settings tab, and test out search results for different versions of the final query on the Test tab.

Basics

You can easily build a query by selecting options on the Basics tab. The Search Result Preview pane on the right hand side automatically displays the search results.

In the Select a query list, choose a query by selecting a result source. Result sources specify what content to get search results from.

In the Restrict results by app list, select an option for restricting where you want to get search results from.

Under Restrict by tag, you can choose to limit results to content that is tagged with specific terms.

Under Restrict by content type, you can choose to limit results to content of a specific content type.

Add refiners to your query

On the Refiners tab, you can choose to limit the results returned by adding pre-selected refiners to your query. You can also choose to group search results based on a managed property. Click Show more to display the Group results option.

Add more settings

On the Settings tab, you can select more settings for your query. You can decide to use query rules, use URL rewriting, select loading behavior, and define priority for the query.

Test your query

The Test tab shows the final query text based on what you selected in the other tabs. You can test alternative queries by editing the query text directly. You can also test different query options by clicking Show more.

Note: Any changes that you make to the query in the Test tab are not saved.

Build an advanced query

You can build a more advanced query by using Keyword Query Language (KQL). In Advanced Mode, the Basics tab contains lists for adding keyword filters and property filters to your query. The Advanced Mode also has a separate Sorting tab.

Basics

In the Basics tab, click Switch to Advanced Mode to display lists for adding keyword filters and property filters to your query. For more information about Keyword Query Language, see Keyword Query Language (KQL) syntax reference on MSDN.

When you have added the filters, click Test query to display the results in the Search Result Preview pane on the right hand side.

Add refiners to your query

On the Refiners tab, you can choose to add refiners to your query. You can also choose to group search results based on a managed property. Click Show more to display the Group results option.

Add more settings

On the Settings tab, you can select more settings for your query. You can decide to use query rules, use URL rewriting, select loading behavior, and define priority for the query.

Define sorting

On the Sorting tab, you can define several levels of sorting your search results, select which ranking model to use, and add rules for dynamic ordering.

Test your query

The Test tab shows the final query text based on what you selected in the other tabs. You can test alternative queries by editing the query text directly. You can also test different query options by clicking Show more.

Note: Any changes that you make to the query in the Test tab are not saved.